Summary: This article speaks of Sto-Rox High School, a high school in Pennsylvania, and it's new extracurricular GPA requirement. The old policy of Sto-Rox stated that students were not allowed to participate in extracurriculars if they had a D in any core subject. However, the old policy failed to address the students' grade-point averages. By only focusing on the core subjects, a student could be failing every single class, be in jeopardy of graduating, yet still participate in their extracurricular activity whether it be sports, band, etc (Cato, 2010). For example, take a senior year football star. He may have already completed all of his core classes and thus is only taking elective classes this year. He could be failing every single elective that he is taking however, since he does not have a D in one of his core classes (remember he is not taking any core classes) then he will still be able to play on the team. The new and much improved policy at Sto-Rox High School states that students must have a 2.0 GPA or higher AND cannot have more than one D at a time. Even more so, students with a D in any core subject are required to attend mandatory tutoring. This new policy was voted upon by the school board members of the Sto-Rox district and in this article, a few members speak of their point of view in regards to the new policy. For example, one board member speaks of the PIAA, or Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association and their academic eligibility standards. He cites that the PIAA standards are ridiculous as it is essentially raising the bar way too high and thus preventing some kids from reaching it (The PIAA standards state that students must be passing four of their core subjects at any given time). He says that although the student's are not being held to this high of a standard, he thinks that the new policy is much improved and will do its job for now. That being said, two board members voiced their opinion on how they are not happy with the new policy that was put in place. They both agreed that the district is still setting the bar way too low for the students. Towards the end of the article it states that when the new policy was set in place, that 45 students were ineligible to participate in extracurricular activities. As of late, that number has dropped to only 17 students. The article then concludes by saying that a lot of the students that raised their grades due to this new policy were football players (Cato, 2010).
Reaction: Overall, I think the points in this article were very effective. Indeed, I am focusing on extracurricular activities and students' growth from their participation in these activities whether it be psychological, social, or academic. With that being said, I do think that it is very important for children to not only participate in extracurricular activities, but for them to not lose sight of the main reason that they are in school while participating in these activities. By setting GPA standards for extracurricular activities this is actually forcing students to grow academically, as seen in the Sto-Rox School District. This can further be supported by the last statistic provided in the article stating that 28 students raised their grades once these policies were implemented. Some students go to school merely to participate in extracurriculars and, because of their participation in extracurricular activities, they are able to grow academically thanks to GPA requirements that are put in place and effectively enforced.
Summary: This article on psychology today talks about extracurricular activities and how important they are in a student's transition into high school and in encouraging independence. The main point of the article stresses that extracurriculars mainly provide students with friendships and thus positively impact their social growth. Throughout the article Gumbiner talks about different forms of extracurriculars and how they further impact students in positive ways. For example, she says that most extracurriculars are done with others thus teaching kids essential skills in working with others. She talks about community service clubs and how they instill good values in students. Not just that, they are also able to teach kids new schools. She specifically used Habitat for Humanity as an example saying that these kids have to build houses and, because of this, they learn how to use a hammer and other tools. She speaks of outing clubs and how they help students explore nature and how it teaches the members of ways to protect the environment. She says that clubs that focus on music and art are able to positively impact students by giving them the opportunity to further their creative ideas. Gumbiner wraps up her article by stating that the most important aspect of extracurricular activities is that this is where students find their friends and are able to socially grow as a person (Gumbiner, 2012).
Reaction: I especially liked this article due to the fact that one of the most important uses for extracurriculars is when a student is making their transition into high school. This can be a scary time for many kids however, if they participate in after-school activities that interest them, they are able to form a solid group of friends and make their transition into high school much smoother. Extracurriculars not only provide kids with friends. They are able to give students the necessary skills to succeed in life such as leadership skills, teamwork, and creativity. Overall, this article was well written and really touched on all of the positive aspects that come along with participating in extracurricular activities.
Source: Article from a Newspaper
Citation: Miller, M. (1992, June 13). Drug Policy Would Apply After School. Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1992-06 13/news/9206130910_1_extracurricular-activities-involved-in-extracurricular-policy
Summary: This newspaper article, although an older article, made extremely valid points in regards to extracurricular activities. The article featured in the Orlando Sentinel stated that Seminole County in Florida proposed an anti-drug and alcohol policy for students participating in extracurriculars. Drug and alcohol use will not be permitted whether the student is on school grounds or not. As stated in the article, "...a student caught drinking or using drugs off campus at any time would be suspended from a minimum of one extracurricular event. The student would be required to undergo evaluation for drug and alcohol abuse in a state-licensed treatment facility. To return to the activity, the student would have to follow a counselor's recommendations," (Miller, 1992). The article then goes on to say that if they get caught again within a year, their parents will be notified, they will not be permitted to participate in extracurriculars for a year, and they will have to undergo another drug assessment. The reason the Florida school district wants to implement this policy is because they believe that the students that participate in after-school activities are role models and should be setting good examples for other students throughout the district. Their participation is a privilege and should not be taken advantage of. The article concluded by stating that the district is not looking to punish students, but rather provide help for them. As stated in the article, "'...principals...must follow due process and be fair...'" (Miller, 1992). Lastly, the article said that "Students who feel they have been unfairly investigated can go through an appeal process," (Miller, 1992).
Reaction: This article is important because it is proof that schools are actually trying to enforce policies relating to extracurriculars that will positively impact students. By proposing the idea that students can face serious consequences when partaking in illegal activities such as drug or alcohol use, this is more likely to lead students to steer clear of this risky behavior. The school board makes a point in saying that the process a student has to undergo when being charged with this sort of "crime" is to be fair. That is important, as well, because some parents in the district were not necessarily happy with this policy because they believed that it would target innocent children. When children participate in extracurricular activities that enforce strict no drug and alcohol rules, these students will more likely stay clean and thus reap the benefits of living a drug and free alcohol life.
Source: Scholarly Journal Article
Citation: Simoncini, K., & Caltabiono, N. (2012). Young school-aged children’s behaviour and their participation in extra-curricular activities. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 37(3), 35–42.
Summary: The findings in this article were from a study conducted in Australia about children's involvement in extracurricular activities and their behavior. More interestingly, this study focused on younger children rather than on adolescents, what most studies are focused on. The beginning of the article talks about numerous findings about children and their growth based on extracurricular participation. All of the facts presented in the beginning of the article were from previous research studies conducted on adolescents and some younger children. A few findings were that children who participated in extracurriculars had better grades, higher self-esteem, and lower rates of depression. Previous research also concluded that, by participating in extracurriculars, children were able to form healthy relationships with peers and adults and learn appropriate social behaviors. As the article progressed, it began to focus on the research that was conducted in regards to younger children's behavior and their participation in after school activities. It explained that during the study, mothers of young children filled out a list of their children's extracurricular activities, a "Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire" about their children as well as demographic details about their family. After all of the results were complied, children were ranked on a behavior scale, a low score being normal while a high score indicated abnormal behavior. Some of the findings stated that children who participated in two extracurricular activities had the lowest scores. This can be supported by the fact that these kids were exposed to different experiences and people without overwhelming and over-scheduling them. Another interesting finding was that children who participated in a moderate amount of extracurricular activities, between 90-180 minutes, had the best behavior scores due to the fact that this was enough time for children to learn and grow, while still enjoying themselves and relaxing (Simoncini & Caltabiono, 2012).
Reaction: I particularly liked this article because it focused on elementary aged children instead of adolescents. Too often research is conducted on adolescent children participating in sporting programs. This article was able to give us another perspective and included children from a wide range of extracurricular activities, not just sports. This article shows that extracurricular activities can positively effect children in a variety of different ways throughout their life. For example, these children could partake in activities that were enjoyable to them and grow as a person with little to no pressure on them. This article is especially important because it is imperative for children to get involved as young as possible. By participating in after-school activities at an early age, children are able to discover their likes and dislikes, build essential skills, such as teamwork, that they will need to utilize throughout their life, and interact with children their own age that they will be friends with as they grow up and progress through school.
Summary: This editorial essay was written by the Toronto District School Board's director of education, Chris Spence. He speaks about the importance of extracurriculars and uses his personal experience as a former football player to support his ideas. Spence, like most others, agrees that sports are able to instill teamwork skills and leadership qualities into young people that they can use for the rest of their life. He also cites the physical benefits of participating in sports, like the fact that it keeps young people in shape and active. This is especially important in his country as more children in Canada are progressively becoming obese. Along with physical benefits as well as developing new skills, two points made by Spence were especially interesting. He stated that sports are able to teach children the importance of setting goals as well as dealing with disappointment (Spence, 2013).
Reaction: I liked this article because it seemed to delve into the unknown, or at least the unspoken. People constantly hear about how sports encourage teamwork and keep kids active, however no one seems to talk about how it helps kids set goals and even helps them cope with disappointment. As an athlete, one needs to set goals or they simply will not progress. They need to go into their season with their eye on one specific goal and never take their focus off of it. By learning how to set goals through sports, these kids can translate this skill to their everyday life. Whether it is getting into college or getting a certain job, everyone needs to have goals in life and, through sports, kids can practice doing this. One really interesting point that Spence brought up was the concept of disappointment. When a kid is on a team, chances are they are not going to win every single game throughout their sporting career. They might even lose a high-stakes playoff game. By participating in sports and possibly not achieving the goal that they set, they are able to learn how to cope with this disappointment, set a new goal, move on, and work that much harder than they previously were. As these kids progress through life, they are not going to receive everything they wish for. However, by playing sports and understanding that disappointment is a very real thing, they will be able to overcome these hardships and move on to bigger and better things.
Overall Reaction to Your Research
Overall, I learned that extracurriculars can positively impact a child in many different ways. Whether it is helping them socially grow and build new relationships, instilling important concepts such as teamwork and leadership into them, teaching them how to set goals and cope when these goals are not attained, or giving younger kids the chance to explore their interests, the amount of positive things that come out of participation in extracurricular activities is endless. Not only is participating in these activities important, it is also extremely important for the authority figures to have good practices as well. For example, by enforcing GPA requirements or a no drug and alcohol policy, this will encourage children to put in their best effort in school and get good grades as well as avoid risky behaviors that could jeopardize their chance of participating in their respective after-school activities. After all, for some students, extracurriculars are all they have, and they will do anything in order to remain eligible and participate in something that they love.
How does this research help us identify or refine a strategy to improve schools in Rhode Island?
This research definitely helps us in identifying a strategy to improve schools in Rhode Island. No where in Rhode Island's current strategic plan is there any mention of extracurricular activities. The plan focuses mainly on good teachers and good test scores. Those things are undeniably important, however, kids also need an outlet to express themselves and do something enjoyable for themselves when they are outside of the classroom. Many schools in Rhode Island offer extracurricular activities, however, it is important that these are good quality activities. Meaning, they must be something that is taken seriously and are structured to a degree because let's face it, if the advisor of the club never shows up and meetings are always canceled, it doesn't matter if that club even exists as no one is attending anyway. Also, it is important that if there are going to be good quality after-school activities, school boards and administrators must work their hardest to ensure that kids are still doing their best in all of the other aspects of their lives including their mental well-being as well as academic performance. In short, Rhode Island schools already have extracurriculars. It is now time for the numerous school districts throughout the state to focus on the quality of these activities as well as enforcing certain rules to ensure student success and growth.
Author: Ileana LaGrutta
Source: Point of View Database Essay
Citation:
Cato, Jason. Pittsburgh Tribune Review (PA). N.p.: Pittsburgh Tribune Review (PA), 2010.
Web. 20 Nov. 2014. <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pwh&AN=2W6676565554&site=pov-live>.
Summary: This article speaks of Sto-Rox High School, a high school in Pennsylvania, and it's new extracurricular GPA requirement. The old policy of Sto-Rox stated that students were not allowed to participate in extracurriculars if they had a D in any core subject. However, the old policy failed to address the students' grade-point averages. By only focusing on the core subjects, a student could be failing every single class, be in jeopardy of graduating, yet still participate in their extracurricular activity whether it be sports, band, etc (Cato, 2010). For example, take a senior year football star. He may have already completed all of his core classes and thus is only taking elective classes this year. He could be failing every single elective that he is taking however, since he does not have a D in one of his core classes (remember he is not taking any core classes) then he will still be able to play on the team. The new and much improved policy at Sto-Rox High School states that students must have a 2.0 GPA or higher AND cannot have more than one D at a time. Even more so, students with a D in any core subject are required to attend mandatory tutoring. This new policy was voted upon by the school board members of the Sto-Rox district and in this article, a few members speak of their point of view in regards to the new policy. For example, one board member speaks of the PIAA, or Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association and their academic eligibility standards. He cites that the PIAA standards are ridiculous as it is essentially raising the bar way too high and thus preventing some kids from reaching it (The PIAA standards state that students must be passing four of their core subjects at any given time). He says that although the student's are not being held to this high of a standard, he thinks that the new policy is much improved and will do its job for now. That being said, two board members voiced their opinion on how they are not happy with the new policy that was put in place. They both agreed that the district is still setting the bar way too low for the students. Towards the end of the article it states that when the new policy was set in place, that 45 students were ineligible to participate in extracurricular activities. As of late, that number has dropped to only 17 students. The article then concludes by saying that a lot of the students that raised their grades due to this new policy were football players (Cato, 2010).
Reaction: Overall, I think the points in this article were very effective. Indeed, I am focusing on extracurricular activities and students' growth from their participation in these activities whether it be psychological, social, or academic. With that being said, I do think that it is very important for children to not only participate in extracurricular activities, but for them to not lose sight of the main reason that they are in school while participating in these activities. By setting GPA standards for extracurricular activities this is actually forcing students to grow academically, as seen in the Sto-Rox School District. This can further be supported by the last statistic provided in the article stating that 28 students raised their grades once these policies were implemented. Some students go to school merely to participate in extracurriculars and, because of their participation in extracurricular activities, they are able to grow academically thanks to GPA requirements that are put in place and effectively enforced.
Source: Reputable Website
Citation:
Gumbiner, J. (2012, August 24). Starting High School. Retrieved November 20, 2014, from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-teenage-
mind/201208/starting-high-school
Summary: This article on psychology today talks about extracurricular activities and how important they are in a student's transition into high school and in encouraging independence. The main point of the article stresses that extracurriculars mainly provide students with friendships and thus positively impact their social growth. Throughout the article Gumbiner talks about different forms of extracurriculars and how they further impact students in positive ways. For example, she says that most extracurriculars are done with others thus teaching kids essential skills in working with others. She talks about community service clubs and how they instill good values in students. Not just that, they are also able to teach kids new schools. She specifically used Habitat for Humanity as an example saying that these kids have to build houses and, because of this, they learn how to use a hammer and other tools. She speaks of outing clubs and how they help students explore nature and how it teaches the members of ways to protect the environment. She says that clubs that focus on music and art are able to positively impact students by giving them the opportunity to further their creative ideas. Gumbiner wraps up her article by stating that the most important aspect of extracurricular activities is that this is where students find their friends and are able to socially grow as a person (Gumbiner, 2012).
Reaction: I especially liked this article due to the fact that one of the most important uses for extracurriculars is when a student is making their transition into high school. This can be a scary time for many kids however, if they participate in after-school activities that interest them, they are able to form a solid group of friends and make their transition into high school much smoother. Extracurriculars not only provide kids with friends. They are able to give students the necessary skills to succeed in life such as leadership skills, teamwork, and creativity. Overall, this article was well written and really touched on all of the positive aspects that come along with participating in extracurricular activities.
Source: Article from a Newspaper
Citation:
Miller, M. (1992, June 13). Drug Policy Would Apply After School. Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1992-06
13/news/9206130910_1_extracurricular-activities-involved-in-extracurricular-policy
Summary: This newspaper article, although an older article, made extremely valid points in regards to extracurricular activities. The article featured in the Orlando Sentinel stated that Seminole County in Florida proposed an anti-drug and alcohol policy for students participating in extracurriculars. Drug and alcohol use will not be permitted whether the student is on school grounds or not. As stated in the article, "...a student caught drinking or using drugs off campus at any time would be suspended from a minimum of one extracurricular event. The student would be required to undergo evaluation for drug and alcohol abuse in a state-licensed treatment facility. To return to the activity, the student would have to follow a counselor's recommendations," (Miller, 1992). The article then goes on to say that if they get caught again within a year, their parents will be notified, they will not be permitted to participate in extracurriculars for a year, and they will have to undergo another drug assessment. The reason the Florida school district wants to implement this policy is because they believe that the students that participate in after-school activities are role models and should be setting good examples for other students throughout the district. Their participation is a privilege and should not be taken advantage of. The article concluded by stating that the district is not looking to punish students, but rather provide help for them. As stated in the article, "'...principals...must follow due process and be fair...'" (Miller, 1992). Lastly, the article said that "Students who feel they have been unfairly investigated can go through an appeal process," (Miller, 1992).
Reaction: This article is important because it is proof that schools are actually trying to enforce policies relating to extracurriculars that will positively impact students. By proposing the idea that students can face serious consequences when partaking in illegal activities such as drug or alcohol use, this is more likely to lead students to steer clear of this risky behavior. The school board makes a point in saying that the process a student has to undergo when being charged with this sort of "crime" is to be fair. That is important, as well, because some parents in the district were not necessarily happy with this policy because they believed that it would target innocent children. When children participate in extracurricular activities that enforce strict no drug and alcohol rules, these students will more likely stay clean and thus reap the benefits of living a drug and free alcohol life.
Source: Scholarly Journal Article
Citation:
Simoncini, K., & Caltabiono, N. (2012). Young school-aged children’s behaviour and their participation in extra-curricular activities. Australasian
Journal of Early Childhood, 37(3), 35–42.
Summary: The findings in this article were from a study conducted in Australia about children's involvement in extracurricular activities and their behavior. More interestingly, this study focused on younger children rather than on adolescents, what most studies are focused on. The beginning of the article talks about numerous findings about children and their growth based on extracurricular participation. All of the facts presented in the beginning of the article were from previous research studies conducted on adolescents and some younger children. A few findings were that children who participated in extracurriculars had better grades, higher self-esteem, and lower rates of depression. Previous research also concluded that, by participating in extracurriculars, children were able to form healthy relationships with peers and adults and learn appropriate social behaviors. As the article progressed, it began to focus on the research that was conducted in regards to younger children's behavior and their participation in after school activities. It explained that during the study, mothers of young children filled out a list of their children's extracurricular activities, a "Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire" about their children as well as demographic details about their family. After all of the results were complied, children were ranked on a behavior scale, a low score being normal while a high score indicated abnormal behavior. Some of the findings stated that children who participated in two extracurricular activities had the lowest scores. This can be supported by the fact that these kids were exposed to different experiences and people without overwhelming and over-scheduling them. Another interesting finding was that children who participated in a moderate amount of extracurricular activities, between 90-180 minutes, had the best behavior scores due to the fact that this was enough time for children to learn and grow, while still enjoying themselves and relaxing (Simoncini & Caltabiono, 2012).
Reaction: I particularly liked this article because it focused on elementary aged children instead of adolescents. Too often research is conducted on adolescent children participating in sporting programs. This article was able to give us another perspective and included children from a wide range of extracurricular activities, not just sports. This article shows that extracurricular activities can positively effect children in a variety of different ways throughout their life. For example, these children could partake in activities that were enjoyable to them and grow as a person with little to no pressure on them. This article is especially important because it is imperative for children to get involved as young as possible. By participating in after-school activities at an early age, children are able to discover their likes and dislikes, build essential skills, such as teamwork, that they will need to utilize throughout their life, and interact with children their own age that they will be friends with as they grow up and progress through school.
Source: Editorial/Opinion Essay
Citation:
Spence, C. (2013, January 5). Without school sports, everyone loses. The Toronto Star. Retrieved from
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/2013/01/05/without_school_sports_everyone_loses.html
Summary: This editorial essay was written by the Toronto District School Board's director of education, Chris Spence. He speaks about the importance of extracurriculars and uses his personal experience as a former football player to support his ideas. Spence, like most others, agrees that sports are able to instill teamwork skills and leadership qualities into young people that they can use for the rest of their life. He also cites the physical benefits of participating in sports, like the fact that it keeps young people in shape and active. This is especially important in his country as more children in Canada are progressively becoming obese. Along with physical benefits as well as developing new skills, two points made by Spence were especially interesting. He stated that sports are able to teach children the importance of setting goals as well as dealing with disappointment (Spence, 2013).
Reaction: I liked this article because it seemed to delve into the unknown, or at least the unspoken. People constantly hear about how sports encourage teamwork and keep kids active, however no one seems to talk about how it helps kids set goals and even helps them cope with disappointment. As an athlete, one needs to set goals or they simply will not progress. They need to go into their season with their eye on one specific goal and never take their focus off of it. By learning how to set goals through sports, these kids can translate this skill to their everyday life. Whether it is getting into college or getting a certain job, everyone needs to have goals in life and, through sports, kids can practice doing this. One really interesting point that Spence brought up was the concept of disappointment. When a kid is on a team, chances are they are not going to win every single game throughout their sporting career. They might even lose a high-stakes playoff game. By participating in sports and possibly not achieving the goal that they set, they are able to learn how to cope with this disappointment, set a new goal, move on, and work that much harder than they previously were. As these kids progress through life, they are not going to receive everything they wish for. However, by playing sports and understanding that disappointment is a very real thing, they will be able to overcome these hardships and move on to bigger and better things.
Overall Reaction to Your Research
Overall, I learned that extracurriculars can positively impact a child in many different ways. Whether it is helping them socially grow and build new relationships, instilling important concepts such as teamwork and leadership into them, teaching them how to set goals and cope when these goals are not attained, or giving younger kids the chance to explore their interests, the amount of positive things that come out of participation in extracurricular activities is endless. Not only is participating in these activities important, it is also extremely important for the authority figures to have good practices as well. For example, by enforcing GPA requirements or a no drug and alcohol policy, this will encourage children to put in their best effort in school and get good grades as well as avoid risky behaviors that could jeopardize their chance of participating in their respective after-school activities. After all, for some students, extracurriculars are all they have, and they will do anything in order to remain eligible and participate in something that they love.
How does this research help us identify or refine a strategy to improve schools in Rhode Island?
This research definitely helps us in identifying a strategy to improve schools in Rhode Island. No where in Rhode Island's current strategic plan is there any mention of extracurricular activities. The plan focuses mainly on good teachers and good test scores. Those things are undeniably important, however, kids also need an outlet to express themselves and do something enjoyable for themselves when they are outside of the classroom. Many schools in Rhode Island offer extracurricular activities, however, it is important that these are good quality activities. Meaning, they must be something that is taken seriously and are structured to a degree because let's face it, if the advisor of the club never shows up and meetings are always canceled, it doesn't matter if that club even exists as no one is attending anyway. Also, it is important that if there are going to be good quality after-school activities, school boards and administrators must work their hardest to ensure that kids are still doing their best in all of the other aspects of their lives including their mental well-being as well as academic performance. In short, Rhode Island schools already have extracurriculars. It is now time for the numerous school districts throughout the state to focus on the quality of these activities as well as enforcing certain rules to ensure student success and growth.